9 puppies rescued from beneath classroom

Puppies discovered in an unreachable hole beneath a Phoenix portable classroom were rescued Tuesday afternoon after construction workers and plumbers volunteered their help.

According to an Andalucia Middle School spokesperson, nine puppies were safely removed from the hole a week before classes are scheduled to start.

Paw Placement rescue workers discovered the puppies a week ago and had been able to coax the mother out with food and water, but the puppies were too young to follow.

"We think they're about a week and a half to two weeks old," Linda Jeffries, the community relations coordinator for the Alhambra School district said.

Paw Placement rescue didn't think removing them was going to be as difficult as it was, but intake coordinator Dee Alschuler wasn't about to give up.

She said the school informed her that if the puppies were not removed, Animal Control would be called.

"They would have removed the mother and the puppies would have been left to die," Alschuler said.

Quail Plumbing assisted with the rescue by bringing a fiber optic scope to see how far in the hole they were. A local construction company also helped in the rescue by removing the concrete around the hole. Workers decided to cut a hole in the floor of the portable classroom, which allowed them to remove the puppies safely.

"I'm grinning like an idiot because I'm so happy I got my little puppies," Alschuler said.

The puppies are on their way to Tucson, where they will be placed in a foster home until they are ready for adoption in about eight weeks.

Nine puppies were safely removed from a hole at Andalucia Middle School and reunited with their mother on Tuesday.